Sheerien Park, home of Athersley Recreation based in Barnsley, South Yorkshire and compete in Step 5 of the non league pyramid in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division. Nicknamed the “Rec” as it’s in the name “Recreation”. Once the home ground of the now folded Shaw Lane Aquaforce up until they resigned from the league in 2018. I have once come across this club back in my Shirebrook Town days in a promotion clash at Langwith Road. Shirebrook went 1-0 up to go on to lose 1-3… Athersley went on to win promotion to the NCEL Prem leaving Shirebrook behind. Today, Athersley face Thackley in what promises to be an interesting affair with Athersley bottom and Thackley in the bottom half.
The short journey from Penistone over to Athersley sees me there with 30 minutes to kick off. £5 to get in to this NCEL Premier tie! Ecstatic! Kick Off! 2 minutes in and Thackley come forward, Ben Grech-Brooksbank has it, he goes for goal from about 30 yards… OH! It’s gone in! It’s gone through the keeper’s arms and it’s in the back of the net and Thackley have the lead straight away here!!!! 0-1!
6 minutes now and Athersley play down the right, it’s played across low, it comes to Alexander Wilkinson who shoots… Blocked! And again… Blocked again! brilliant defending from Thackley and they manage to clear the danger.
14th minute and Athersley have a free kick on the right hand side, it’s whipped in… The keeper claims it and he launches it upfield, Lewis Waddington gets in behind… He’s hacked down to the floor by Athersley’s Josh Berry and he was the last man there… He could be in trouble… He is!! It’s a Red Card!! I have to agree there! Here comes the Free Kick… Off the wall and out.
23rd minute and Thackley play down the left, crossed in, Lewis Waddington with the header… Straight at the keeper. 29 minutes now and Athersley come down the left flank now, crossed in, Mohammit Gashi gets it under control… Good challenge by the Thackley man but it falls to Alex Wilkinson to shoot… And shoot wide… He should’ve done better there!
34th minute and Thackley come forward again, it’s played through to Lewis Waddington who has found space in the box and he shoots… He’s put it wide! Big chances being wasted by both teams here! Both teams enjoying spells of possession now but no real signs of any clear cut chances from either teams and at half time it remains 0-1.
Second half… I don’t like the look of that fog… 51 minutes on the clock and Thackley play down the right wing, it’s played in low and here’s Tom Rose… Good save by the keeper! 3 minutes later and Thackley come again, it’s played through and it comes to Ben Grech-Brooksbank… Brilliant save by the keeper! He’s certainly made up for his mistake earlier on!!
That fog is getting worse and worse by the minute… We got away with it at Ossett and Rainworth but I think today might be the day that we won’t… 56th minute and Thackley play down the left wing, they want that second goal! It’s chipped through to Lewis Waddington and he’s in… Keeper saves again! It comes to Grech-Brooksbank, he plays it to Waddington to shoot again… It’s wide! Somehow it’s still only 0-1…
It’s beginning to look really difficult to see both ends now… It’s all come out of nowhere as well! Damn fog! 60th minute and Jonathan Nyanton has the ball for Athersley in midfield, he dances past the Thackley defence… A wild swing by Kieran Haigh there sees Nyanton go to the ground… The Referee has given… A Yellow Card! Could have been worse there! The Free Kick is delivered, Athersley header… Wide!
64th minute and Thackley play down the left wing again, they work it across to Ben Grech-Brooksbank, he plays a 1-2 and gets it back in the box, he shoots… The keeper saves once again brilliantly!! Corner… The Referee has called both captains over… Oh no! He’s blown the whistle and both assistants are running over to him, is that it…? A 20 minute delay to play as the fog has become unbearable here…
The players go off the field as we wait for a decision. The Athersley fans would like to see the game called off as it would give them another chance to claim some points in their fight against relegation. The Referee has come out of his dressing room… And he’s blown for full time… Game over!! It had to happen to me one day I guess…
FT: Athersley Recreation A-A Thackley
Ratings
- Atmosphere: 1/10 – I don’t think the Rec-In crew were here today as there was hardly any noise coming from the crowd today.
- The Ground: 8/10 – I really like this ground!! Very unique in places with the Rec-In crew stand and blue benches at the centre of the ground, I love the stands that they have as well and I especially love the welcome sign behind the goal!! Very good for this level as well!! Definitely fit for higher!
- Expense: 7/10 – Well £5 is a price I’ll always be happy to pay, we saw a goal and a red card along with some good passing play at times but sadly we didn’t get a full 90 minutes today which is why it’s not a 10…
- Overall Experience: 7/10 – Despite the abandonment, I’ve had a lovely day here at Athersley Rec!! It would have been a higher rating if the game had finished but I thought the people who work at the club were very friendly! Great to talk to the man on the gate about the club over recent years including that night in Shirebrook. I am gutted the game was abandoned but not too disheartened, I’ve had a great run of seeing good games over recent years and you have to appreciate the bad days to relish the good days!! I’ll have to revisit Athersley one day to get the full 90 minutes.
23/40